I have been a huge fan of sneakers these past few years. They are comfortable and easy to walk. Yet every now and then, there are situations where I need to wear something a little bit formal. I have been looking for ethically responsible and environmentally friendly shoe brands for a while now.
Here, I listed the sustainable shoe brands that you can purchase in Japan. There aren’t many, but I also found a few Japanese brands who are working on environmentally friendly shoe making. I hope you can find the best pair that you can use for a long time.
5 Sustainable Shoe Brands
Nisolo
Why we recommend:
- B Corp Certificate
- Leather Working Group
- Climate Neutral Certificate
This B Corp Certified ethical brand is committed to pay fair wages to all the workers in their supply chain. They focus on creating stylish footwear while prioritizing fair labor practices and minimizing their environmental impact.
The company works closely with artisans in Peru, Mexico, and Kenya, ensuring fair wages and safe working conditions. Nisolo’s dedication to ethical sourcing extends to their materials, using responsibly sourced leather, recycled materials, and eco-friendly practices wherever possible. They emphasize durability, aiming to create shoes that last, reducing waste in the long run.
Official website
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KEEN
Why we recommend:
- Recycled materials
- Without dangerous chemicals such as PFAS
KEEN is dedicated to creating shoes while prioritizing environmental responsibility and ensuring durability and comfort for outdoor enthusiasts. They use eco-friendly materials such as recycled polyester. They also use PFAS-free water repellency treatments to reduce their environmental impact. They aim to create durable shoes for men and women.
Official website
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Alohas
Why we recommend:
- Pre-order system
- Cruelty free
Based in Spain, the brand focuses on creating trendy footwear while integrating sustainable practices into their production process. They integrate a pre-order system to produce only the necessary amount of shoes that customers need. They work with skilled artisans in Spain to ensure quality craftsmanship and fair labor practices.
They also have shoes made of recycled polyester, organic cotton and vegan leather, to ensure cruelty-free products.
Official website
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ffton
Why we recommend:
- Leather Working Group
- Upcycling leather
Based in Kobe, this Japanese shoe brand creates beautiful shoes using leather that are discarded, reducing the environmental impact for producing new shoes. The shoe designs are simple, so they don’t go out of fashion. Not producing new models of shoes is also another goal that they have to be sustainable.
Official website
Öffen
Why we recommend:
- Recycled materials
Based in Hyogo Prefecture, this brand creates shoes made of recycled plastic bottles, reducing the amount of plastic bottles to go into the ocean. “Öffen” means “to open” in German. As their name suggests, they propose light-weight shoes that feel so open and free. They also reduce the production process so that they can reduce the carbon footprint in their production.
Official website
Find a perfect pair of sustainable shoes
We can enjoy beautiful shoes while caring about the earth. It is important to choose a pair that is durable so that you can wear for a long time. Ethically produced shoes can be expensive, but it is better that people who make them are paid and treated correctly. I hope there will be more ethical and sustainable brands in the future!
